Technology

[River Song]

The approach that I have taken is to seperate the hardware and the software functions.

Hardware - any old laptop will do but if you are looking for something that you can drop then a simple search for "rugged laptops" should do the trick although be warned - they aint cheap.

However any secondhand computer shop should be able to sell you a cheap laptop. Providing power in a grid down situation remains a problem although a hand cranked battery shiuld do the trick.

With regards to software - for securitys sake I wouldnt touch Windows with a disinfected barge pole. Same goes for Mac OSX. Have a look at Tails. https://tails.boum.org/
This little Operating System can be burnt onto a pen drive and then boot your PC from this pen drive. Its a safe and secure operating system that will provide for all of your posted requirements.

[NorthernRaider]

RS I don't quite understand the techno stuff around tails but I do see its using TOR which I have heard a lot of good things about for protecting ones privacy.

[River Song]

@NR - "Rock on Tommy" - Basically you get someone to burn the Tails software onto a stick and then boot from the stick. It makes for a very secure little system. When you shutdown --- every bit of history, cookies etc is deleted from the stick. If you PM me with a useable snail mail address that is secure, I'll put one in the post gratis.

@LS - Like the look at that micro TX/RX at £3. I'm assuming this is CW working only and not VOX? A little challenge for you. Any chance you could rustle up a single A4 sheet that explains to a blonde how to get it up and running from the box?

Cheers

[Tartar Horde]

Tor

[Nix]

Missed this thread til now, cool!

I used to mess with Linux operating systems and do a bit of PERL programming for fun as Windows OS's were really pissing me off. But had to stick with MS cos my cctv remote access stuff would only work with Windows based software. Bummer. Old Linux like Redhat was VERY secure but flakey. Having said that, it was only for people familiar with command lines so no good for 95% of the population.

RS, that Tails looks interesting, in the process of downloading it now, could be the answer..

[NorthernRaider]

Thanks for the feedback, an American chap who knows more about Pcs than I do has made himself a super simple tamper proof back up PC from some sort of childs laptop. Screen keyboard, memory, basic word processor and file system, search engine and E mail, but no favourites or short cuts. So when he wants to send an E mail the address has to be typed into the address box ( no address book) and he cannot shortcut websites he has to enter the URL. Utterly simple, ultra basic uber functional back up PC . article was about 5 years old but still relevant. Wish I had kept it.

[Lightspeed]

Hi RS,

These things come as a kit..... a bag of twenty of 20 odd components and a little circuit board. You have to solder the components onto the board yourself..... are you up for that?

[River Song]

@LS - I've found it available ready made for an extra 60p !!

Next step, was what do I do with it when it comes out of the box.

1. Probably need a tin to put it in
2. Aerial?
3. headphones
4. Power Supply
5. Morse Key

essntially an instruction on how to fit these things together to get a working system assuming we have the actual components mountded etc

[Lightspeed]

RS

+60p is a steal... order one straight away!

It'll take a few weeks to get to you. In that time I'll do you a quick guide on how to set it up, what connectors to use, how to make an inexpensive antenna, and how to improvise a morse code key.

[River Song]

@LS - You're a scholar and a gentleman sir!

---

Lets take this a little further for those of us not totally morse code efficient.

Imagine a cut down PC that has a program outputting morse (CW) on its sound card
and receiving CW on its mic port such as ....

http://www.polar-electric.com/Morse/MRP40-EN/

Would you have a nice little combo for SHTF conditions?

LS - put yer thinking cap on